Small Comfort
by iloveromance
Summary: Preparing to undergo heart surgery, Shawn finds comfort in a very small person who has the biggest heart. A continuation of the animated movie "The Secret Life of Arrietty" starring the voice talents of Disney Channel's Bridget Mendler and David Henrie.


**A/N: Thank you to writer Maka-Chan19, whose wonderful story "The Secret World of Love" inspired "Small Comfort."  
**

The doctor smiled at Shawn in a reassuring manner, as though undergoing heart surgery was something that boys his age went through every day.

"All right, Shawn. Just relax and everything will be okay. You're going to feel a little sting and then you'll start to become very sleepy. And when you wake up, you'll be as good as new, all right?"  
Shawn nodded and swallowed hard. He wasn't scared. He wasn't. He'd said as much to Arrietty, hadn't he? But somehow it seemed impossible that someone so small could make him feel so brave.

The voices around him became wavy echoes and he could feel soft lips pressing against his cheek. And then the voices drifted further and further away. He tried so hard to stay awake, but his eyelids became heavy and it became a struggle that he simply couldn't win. He was tired… so very tired. More tired than he'd ever felt in his life. His entire body ached as though he had just run a marathon. But that was crazy. He couldn't run a marathon. His heart was much too weak.

"Your heart is weak now, but it won't be for long."  
The sweet voice startled him and he tried to open his eyes to sit up. But the effort was just too difficult.  
"Don't try to get up. You need your rest."

"A-Arrietty?"  
"Yes, Shawn. It's me."  
"But-but how…"

His eyelids closed and he began to drift further and further away. The world around him grew larger and larger until he was dwarfed by enormous trees and flowers and-

"Oh!"

A massive face appeared before him and he jumped in surprise. But then he took a closer look. "Nina!"  
The cat meowed, sounding more like a siren than the soft voice that Shawn found so comforting.  
"Nina, it's me… Shawn."

Nina moved her head downward and looked at him, sniffing a bit. The gesture was like a giant vacuum, almost knocking him to the ground. But Nina didn't seem to notice the way Shawn was grasping onto her fur. Before he realized what was happening, Nina lowered herself to the ground, allowing him to climb onto her soft fur. The strands were long; taller than he was, and he'd barely reached the cats back when Nina took off into running.

Shawn hung on for dear life, having no idea where they were going. When they finally came to a halt, Nina knelt down, allowing Shawn to slide off. When his tiny feet landed in the tall grass, he carefully maneuvered his way through it until he came to a clearing.  
"Nina, where are we?"

And that's when he saw it; the tea kettle that sat near the water. Could it be…?

"Arrietty?"  
He heard a rustle in the grass and then he saw her, looking just as beautiful as the day he had met her.  
"Hello, Shawn."

He looked around, unable to believe this was happening. It was almost too good to be true.

"Arrietty…"  
"Hello Shawn." She said again. Her voice, once filled with confidence, now sounded almost child-like. But that was impossible. She was the brave one. She had taught him how to be brave as well. But he couldn't have done it without her.

"What are you doing here?"  
When she lowered her head, he immediately regretted his words.  
"I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean it that way. I'm really happy to see you."  
Her head rose and her face brightened with her smile. "You are?"  
"Of course. You're my best friend."  
She took his hand in hers. "And you're mine, Shawn."  
"What are you doing here?"  
"I came to make sure that you were all right. Your surgery is today."  
He blinked in surprise. "It is… but…"  
"I didn't want you to go through it alone. I care about you, Shawn."  
"But how did you find me?"  
"Nina."  
Shawn looked at the enormous cat and realized that he'd never loved her more.  
"Well… I should go." Arrietty said. "I just… wanted to see you one last time and wish you good luck. But don't worry. You're brave now. You'll be just fine."  
"Because of you, Arrietty."  
Tears filled her eyes and from his small standpoint he realized how beautiful she was. And suddenly he sighed that he could remain this height forever.

Tears filled her eyes and she touched his cheek, her small hand soft and warm against his skin. "I'll miss you. I'll never forget you."  
They stared at each other for a long moment before she turned away, the tears spilling onto her cheeks. "Goodbye Shawn."  
"Arrietty, wait."  
She turned in surprise, glancing at their joined hands. "Yes, Shawn?"

"I… I never thanked you."  
"Shawn, you don't have to."

"If it weren't for you, I would never have been able to go through this surgery. You're' the best friend I could ask for."  
"Shawn..."  
He hugged her warmly, sighing at how good it felt to hold her. And judging from the way she clung to him, he suspected that she didn't receive many hugs.  
"You're a very special person, Arrietty. Please don't ever forget that."  
Her face blurred before him but he continued to hold her. And then he heard voices. They were hollow at first and then became clearer.

"Shawn, honey?"  
It was his aunt. And when he slowly opened his eyes, he saw her smiling face.

"You came through beautifully." She said, touching his cheek. "Just a few weeks of bed rest and you'll be as good as new."  
"Where's Nina?" He asked, surprised at how difficult it was to speak.

"Nina's at home, waiting for you."  
He smiled thinking of the sweet cat who had taken him to see his best friend. It all seemed so real, but it was a dream, wasn't it? His eyelids felt heavy again and he drifted into slumber once more.  
"Just rest, Shawn." He heard his aunt say.

The words were followed by those of his friend, the tiny, beautiful girl who had changed his life.

"You're welcome, Shawn."

The End


End file.
